Rise in pertussis prompts health alert from city Health Department

Growing numbers of cases of pertussis confirmed within the city of Lubbock prompted the Health Department to issue a health alert Tuesday, Aug. 13.

So far in 2013, 12 cases have been reported within the city — two more than the total number of cases reported in 2012.

Nine of the 12 cases have been reported since July 22, said Beckie Brawley, public health coordinator for the city of Lubbock Health Department.

Additional cases have been reported but not confirmed, she said.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is caused by the spread of a germ bacteria and has symptoms similar to a common cold, including runny nose or congestion, sneezing, fever and cough, according to an alert issued by the Health Department.

The symptoms — particularly the cough — worsen after a week or two, Brawley said.

The cough is characterized by a “whooping” sound made while trying to inhale as a result of oxygen being pushed out of the lungs, said Richard Lampe, professor and chairman of the department of pediatrics at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, who specializes in pediatric infectious disease.

Reports of the disease within the city must be made to the Health Department by health institutions within one calendar day of diagnosis, Brawley said.

She said eight other cases have been reported within Lubbock County outside the city.

In 2012, 2,218 cases were reported in Texas, Brawley said. In 2013 through Aug. 12, the number is at 1,670.

Asked if the numbers are expected to rise, Brawley said, “That’s something we never know. We get them on a case-by-case basis. That’s the very reason I sent out the health alert — to raise awareness with citizens and physicians in the community.”

Pertussis can be passed on by close contact — such as in a day care or household environment — with an infected person who is coughing or sneezing.

Lampe said this is the normal time of year for spikes in pertussis.

“Pertussis can happen any time during the year,” he said. “In my experience, for the past 20 years, we see a few more cases in the summertime.”

Testing for pertussis is often done by a cotton swab inserted in a nostril to collect fluid from the back of the pharynx — the organ at the upper rear of the throat. The results must be sent off and analyzed before official diagnosis, Lampe said.

“We get it back in a day or two,” he said.

When contracted, the germ can affect the respiratory tract and bring down oxygen levels, Lampe said. Studies show children under 6 months with the disease have a higher mortality rate, he said.

“They cough so hard it makes them vomit,” he said. “It can result in really tiny babies and small children having a need for oxygen. If they need oxygen and it becomes severe enough, it can make them have seizures or convulsions. It can result in bad pneumonia, including such bad, severe pneumonia that little babies can die of pertussis.”

Up-to-date DDTap, or diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, vaccinations for children up to 6 years of age and Tdap booster shots for people 11 years and older are an important key in prevention, he said.

“Prevention is really key,” he said. “What can people do? Make sure their children are up to date on all immunizations.”

If one person in a household is diagnosed with pertussis, Lampe said he suggests everybody take antibiotics as well as their booster immunization for prevention.

“Parents need to make sure their children are immunized adequately,” Brawley said. “It’s a vaccine-preventable disease.”